Injection device



Aug. 8, 1939. K. o. BUERGKLIN INJECTION DEVICE Filed April 1o, y1935 l fifi/infinitif! lvl/1rurlnlliflollvflllll g.. O 7 J 4Persiani; Aug, s, V1939.

s PATENT 'orFrcl-i .UNITED STATE `ThisI invention relates generally to surgical l devices and particularly to an injection device or Asyringe as is4 usuallyemployed in intravenous and intramuscular injections.

. Figure 'l is a longitudinal sectional view, illus-- trating another embodiment of the 'energized medicament container of the present invention.

Generally stated, in accordance with the pres- 5 The object of the, present invention, generally entivention, an ampoule maybe provided,` 'in 8 stated, is to provide a device ofthe kind described, Vone portion of which a charge lof compressed gas wherein injection of .the medicament may be acis confined and in another' portion of which the y complishcd with a minimum of effort by the surcharge of medicament is disposed. Separating ..ge0n the charges of compressed gas and medicament A further object of this invention is to-promay be a suitable plugor diaphragm, preferably 10 'vide a medicament container to be `used in such in the form of a piston, arranged to slide lengthinjection devices and fromfwhich the medica'- wise of the ampoule upon expansion of the comment is automatically discharged upon release., pressed gas but to maintain itself in sealingrela- Another object of this invention is to prvide tion with the interior walls of the ampoule. In an energized medicament container 'which is4 accordance with one embodiment ofthe present .15.- cheapto manufacture and simple of construction. invention, such an ampoule may @e employed in A further object of this invention is to provide 'an injection .device provided with suitable valve a prepared package containing an energized and control means whereby' the surgeon, after in- Charged injection device which is convenient t0 jectingthe needle, may .accomplish either an i1 1` handle and of simple construction. tra-venous or an intramuscular injection by simply mi.

A more specificobject of this invention is to openingthe valve and permitting the medicament provide an injection device of the character deto ow out through the needle under the force scribed and a medicament container therefor in exertedby the energy which may be stored in the which acharge of medicament is confined in a device, as by expansion 'of the charge of comcylinder with a` chargeof compressedgas,the pressed gas, l, A tWO charges being Separated by 'a Sealing plug In accordance with another embodiment'of the adapted to move lengthwise within the cylinder invention, the injecting needle may itself he consoas todischarge the 4medicament Junder the .tained intheener'gized ampoule and may b e s0 pressure ofthe compressed gas. arranged; therein as to be vmaintained sterile Flirt er objects will become apparent to those` til the occasion arises for its-use.v Ehen, upon '30 -'ski1le in'theartwhen the followingfdescription actuatnjg'suitable releasing means. the needle is read@ in connection with the accompanying may become exposed forguse, and the ,medicamentdrawing, in' which f Y may be discharged therethrough under' the pres- Figure. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an sureexerted by the expansion of the compressed inject on device lconstructed in accordance with 'gas contained inthe ampoule. .v 35 the present invention andr showing the energized Referring nowV parti ularly t0 the drawing, medicament. container in position therein; `there is illustrated inFigure 1 a device of the l l Figure 2 is' a sectional view, showing in detail type particularly suitable foi;- intramusculan lnl the connootion 'between the body Vof the device. -;|ecticns, although it will be derstoodtnat this 4o and thefenergizedcontainer; A- lembodiment may also be used for intravenous 6 Figure'3 iS 8 Sectional View. ShOWlnS- lndeinjections when desired.` In the embodiment lltail 'acontrol valve 'for' the device of the present lnstratedv lin Figure 1, the injectiondevice may invention; s l comprise a `body l', Ahaving a passage 1 there- .Figure 4 is a perspective view, showing-the) through. 'At one end of thebody `I an'injec energized medicament .container .of the present tion needle 3 may be suitablyconnected.4 Abthe llYePfiOn; f. `Aother end 0f thel body I a. hollowA shield 4 may bel l Figure 5 yis al detail sectional view, showing providedand within the: shield 4 'an energized Dartiuarly th manner .0f 601111120111118 an illico-' ampoule 5 may be removably disposed. Itwill be tion needle with the bodyv of the device; y understood that the shield 4. provides a compart- 5o 4Figure 6 is a Idetail view in longitudinal section ment which may be readily opned t0 permit in- `5 showing; .particul`arly the arrangement of `the sert'ion, removal or replacement of the energized `valve and the interconnection between the in?. ampoule of the present invention.-v The shield jectionneedlejand the body of the device vcon- ,l may be connected in any suitable manner',` as 'structed in accordance with another` embodl for instance by a slip joint to the body I. f 56 `ment ofthe present invention; A conducting needle 6 may be provided to ex-l f poule to passage 2 and eventually to needle l.

Provided in the body I, so as to control the 110W of iluid through passage 2, is a valve 1, shown more in detail in Figure 3. The valve 1 may be of any suitable construction and operated by any suitable means; but in the embodiment illustrated comprises a cone 8 arranged to seat in a correspondingly shaped recess Within the body I. Extending from member 8 Amay be a stem 9 connected at its upper end to a suitably arranged operating lever' I0. The valve 1 may be arranged 'in a hole extending radially into body I and may be closed by a cap II secured to the body as by threads. Between cap II and cone element 8 may be arranged a yieldable member I2, such as a block of rubber, which, if made of rubber, may also flll the oiiice cfa gasket.

Referring now particularly to Figure 5, it will be observed that the needle 3 is provided with an enlargement I3, which in the embodiment shown is of spherical form, but it will be understood that other suitable shapes may be employed. The end passage 22, and a lateral recess 26 may be formed of member I, adjacent the mouth of passage 2, is shaped to correspond with enlargement I3 and likewise a cap I4 is provided to engage the opposite side o f enlargement I3. Cap I4 may be screwed down upon the body I or connected in any'suitable manner. By this construction, it will be observed that a tight joint is made between needle 3 and passage 2, so that the escape of fluid therearound is effectively prevented.

The'energized ampoule of the presentI invention may comprise a cylinder or tube I5, which may be made of glass' or other suitable material. In the embodiment shown, a closing plug I6 is provided'for one end of the cylinder I5, but it `wll1be understood that if the device is made of glass, this end may be fused. Intermediate the ends of cylinder I5 is a plug I1 arranged to slide lengthwise therein but to maintain itself in sealing relation against the interior Walls of cylinder I5. The space between plug I1 and ,plug I6 is, in accordance with the present invention, occupied by a charge of compressed g'as, the pressure beingy sufficient that the volume at orabove atmospheric pressure will be suiiicient to entirely fill the cylinder I5. The plug I1 may be made of any suitable material which will effect an hermetic seal with the interior of the cylinder I5. For instance, the plug can be made of soft rubber, and, in order to assure a seal, circumferential grooves, such as I8, may be formed inthe plug. Such grooves as I8 permit easy deformation oi' the plug and thereby force it into more intimate contact with the walls of cylinder I5.

' On the opposite side of plug I1 from the charge of compressed gas, the charge of medicament `may be disposed. This charge of medicament may be confined in the cylinder by a suitable closure I9, and the end of 'the cylinder, if made of glass, may be fused over or otherwise deformed so as to maintain -closure I9 in position. Closure I9 may be of any suitable material for preventing the escape of the medicament, but is preferably made of a puncturable material, which, upon puncturing, will eiect a seal about the punctur- -ing element. Soft rubber is a suitable material for this purpose.

When the ampoule 5 is inserted into the injection device shown in Figure 1, closure I9 is forced down upon needle 6 so that the closure is puncturedand the end of needle 6 extends into the medicament chamber within cylinder I5. .With the parts in this relation, it is apparent that the 'medicament may flow out from ampoule 5 through needle 5 and into passage 2 where, if valv'e 1 is open, it will contin'ue to flow outwardly through needle 3-all under the pressure of the compressed gas confined beyond plug I1. As the medicament is discharged from the ampoule, plug I1 moves downwardly, permitting expansion under the force of the expanding gas therebeyond until nally all .of the .medicament is dischargedy from the ampoule.

For intravenous injections, it is often desirableto form some portion of the injecting device of a transparent material so that the surgeon will be able to observe the inflow of blood into the device when 'a vein is punctured. 4. In the carry# ing out of theinvention in this form, as illustrated in Figure 6, body 2I, which corresponds to body I of Figure 1, may be formed 'of glass or other'suitable transparent material, such as synthetic resin. Passage 22 may be controlled by a suitable valve 23, the details of which will be later described. Body 2I may be provided with an extension 24, extending beyond mouth 25 of shaped so as to complete, the conical surface' formed in part by extension 24, and over this part a ferrule 30 may be provided. Suitable arrangementmay-be made for securing'ferrule 30 to body 2i as for instance by providing aground surface on the parts to be engaged. A gasket 3| may be interposed between mouth 25 of passage 22 and the inner end of needle 21.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, a valve 23, which is particularly suitable -for use in a glass device, is shown. As in the previous embodiment, a cone shaped valve element is provided, having a stem 32 extending outwardly.

Beneath the cone shaped valve element may be provided a block of yieldable material, such as,

soft rubber 33, which also serves as a gasket, and the remaining space in the hole provided therefor may be filled by` a. suitable filler 34. In order to maintain these parts in position, a band 35, extending about the exterior of body 2l and provided with a slot to accommodate stem 32, may be placed thereover. l

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7,*a prepared package is provided in which the injection needle is contained within the energized ampoule. In this embodiment, atube- 4I, which may be made of glass, may have a charge of compressed gas confined in one end thereof, as at 42. A plug 43, corresponding in function to plug l1 of the previous embodiment, may then be pro-I TIS which effects a good seal with the interior of tube 4I. Ahead of plug 45 may be a non-compressible filler, such as a small charge of distilled water 46. Between two sealing plugs 41 may be a spacing element 48 having a central opening 49 through which extends an injectlonneedle 50, pointed at both ends and provided intermediate its ends with one ,or more laterally extending flanges 5|.

In the lowerWend-.fof tube 4I may be another charge 52 of liquid (alcohol being convenient in this instance) and the end of tube 4l is nnally sealed by 4a suitable puncturable closure 53. Adjacent the end of tube 4l and at the space occupied by liquid 52 'may be asuitable releasing means, such as a' teat 54, olf to permit the liquid 52 to escape.

When liquid 52 is permitted to escape, as by release through teat 54, the compressed gas 42 expands and forces the various plugs 43, 45, and 41 downwardly, carrying with them the needle 5l! and puncturing closure 53 sothat the needle extends outwardly thereof. The expansion of gas 42 will move the parts intosuch position that the charge of"distilledwater 46 will be opposite a hole 55 in tube`4l, and the surgeon at this time .should have his nger closing hole 55. In this condition, the, needle may be inserted into the flesh. When hole 55 is opened by raising the finger therefrom, the distilled water 46 flows outl wardly therethrough and permits a further down ward movement of plug 45, which is then punctured by the upper end of needle 50, so that the needle is placed in communication with the charge of medicament and the injection is effected. d

From the foregoing description. it is apparent -that the present invention accomplishes its objects and that an'energized ampoule and device for employing the same are medicament may be administered by injection with a minimum of eiort and with a' maximum of convenience to the surgeon. It is apparent, oi

'course, that many modifications of the. device shown in the accompanying drawing and specilithose skilled inthe art,

cally described herein will present themselves to without departing from the spirit or principles of the present invention, and it is to be distinctly understood, therefore,

that such modifications and the use of such in-' dividual features and sub-,combinations of feaf tures as do not depart from the spirit of this in'- vention are, although not specifically described y herein,` contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims. j Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A deviceof the kind describedcompsing, a

cylinder having' a charge of compressed gas in which may be broken means.

provided whereby latter is released.

. ment charge from one end thereof, a movable plug insealing relation with the interior of the cylinder confining the gas on one side thereof, a medicament on the other side of said plug, puncturablemeans confining the medicament, a needle arranged to ,5 puncture said means and inject the medicament, and releasable nieans for preventing said needle from puncturing said puncturable means.

2. A device of the kind described comprising, a cylinder having a charge of compressed gas in one end thereof, a movable plug in sealing relation with the interior of the cylinderconning the gas on one side thereof, a medicament on the other side of said plug, a puncturable closure for said cylinder, a needle arranged to puncture said closure, and releasable means for preventing the -needle from puncturing said closure.

3. A device of the kind described comprising, a cylinder having a charge of compressed gas in one end thereof, almovable plug in sealing rela 20 f phragm confining said medicament, 'a puncturable closure for said cylinder, a needle between said diaphragm and closure arranged to be .moved lengthwise inthe cylinder upon expansion of the gas, releasable means for preventing movement of said needle, and second `releasable means for preventing said needle from punctur, 30 ing said diaphragm after release of said rst 4. An ampoule comprising, a cylinder having impervious walls, each end of said cylinder having a resilient punctu'rable closure, a charge ofcompressed gas and a charge of medicament confined in the respective ends of vsaid cylinder, a lpiston between said charges arranged to slide longitudinally of said cylinder in sealing relation with the interior thereof, said compressed gas charge being suiiicient without extrinsic energy -to completely eject the medicamentcharge from the cylinder when the confining pressure on the 5. An ampoule comprising, a cylinder having impervious walls, one end of. said cylinder having a resilient puncturable closure, a charge of compressed gas land a charge of medicament confined in the respective ends of said cylinder,

a soft rubber plug between said charges arranged to slide longitudinally of said cylinder in sealing relation with the interior thereof, said-com-l pressed gas4 charge being suicient without ex, trinsic` energy to completely eject the medicathe cylinder when the conthe latter is released.-

fining .pressure on rzENNErHo.. 

